Content on this site will contain reference to products or services from one or more of our advertisers or partners. We may receive compensation when you view ads or click on links to those products or services.
Cornwall Left with Just One Bingo Hall Following Club Closure
A recent announcement that a Cornish bingo club has been put up for sale has left the future of land-based bingo in the county in doubt. Until recently, the Capitol Bingo club in St Austell advertised itself as “St Austell and Cornwall’s premier bingo venue”, operating 7 days a week and offering players link games and in-house cash prizes.
More about the sale of the venue
While the club is currently continuing to operate from its premises on Alexandra Road, St Austell, a listing has recently been spotted on RightMove offering a new tenant the chance to purchase the site for a guide price of £2m.
The ad points out several key features of the venue such as over 12,500 square feet of retail space, a “vast bingo hall unit”, and “considerable development potential”. While it’s possible that the prospective buyer could continue using the club for bingo purposes, it’s unlikely given that many UK bingo halls have closed in recent years. Plus, the property listing mentions that the premises “would lend itself to both a mixed use and residential development (subject to planning permission”. So, it seems more likely that any new owner would wish to turn it into flats.
When will the bingo hall close?
So far, the owners of Capitol Bingo have yet to publicly comment on the recent sale notice.
The changing use of the venue
The building that is now home to Capitol Bingo (along with a parade of four shops) originally opened as a cinema in the 1920s. Since then, it’s been given several new leases of life, firstly as a theatre then a ballroom, and now a bingo hall.
Why should we be concerned about the potential closure?
While it’s obviously sad and concerning to see another bingo hall close its doors, if Capitol Bingo in St Austell is repurposed as a residential building/non-bingo-based business, the county of Cornwall will only have one bingo club remaining. The other bingo hall is in Camborne and is operated by Apollo Bingo which is 32 miles away from St Austell. Getting from one location to the other takes around 53 minutes by car or train and is unlikely to be a feasible or appealing option for members of the Camborne club.
In the south of Cornwall’s neighbour, Devon, there are Buzz Bingo and Mecca Bingo in Plymouth, but again, these are over an hour’s drive and a 90-minute train ride away from St Austell, and even further to get to from the more southern Cornish towns of Truro and Falmouth.
PlayOJO Launches New ‘Sounds Like OJO Time’ Ad Campaign
After the success of its previous campaigns such as the ‘It’s Alive!’ Halloween campaign in 2023, and the ‘Street Casino’ campaign in 2024, high-profile online gaming brand PlayOJO is back with a fresh (and funny) new marketing effort. The multi-platform campaign, titled ‘Sounds Like OJO Time’ aims to entertain and connect with audiences across various channels. Let’s read all about it. Transforming Everyday Moments into Fun The ‘Sounds Like OJO…
Chris Rock Is Back And Better Than Ever With BetMGM
Some collaborations are a perfect match. That’s why BetMGM, owned by LeoVegas, has teamed up once again with legendary comedian Chris Rock to bring the thrill of Las Vegas to the UK’s betting scene. The second instalment of the ‘It’s Showtime!’ campaign, this time titled “Chris Rockin’ Locker Room Speech”, hit screens on the 17th October across TV, digital, radio, and social platforms, with Rock (and his trademark high-energy vibe)…
Betting Company Flutter Shows Community Spirit with £400k Cash4Clubs Initiative
Flutter UKI, the betting company behind brands Paddy Power Bingo, Betfair, Sky Betting & Gaming and tombola, shows that giving back can be a priority. As part of its Do More initiative which hopes to improve the lives of 10 million people by 2030, Flutter UKI has proudly announced the return of its flagship Cash4Clubs programme, offering financial support to grassroots sports organisations. For 2024, Cash4Clubs will offer a massive…
Rise in Safer Gambling Tools Use During Safer Gambling Week
New figures released have shown a substantial uptake in the use of safer gambling tools during last year’s Safer Gambling Week. 2023’s Safer Gambling Week was held from November 13th to November 19th and promoted an exciting campaign on the use of safer gambling tools when gambling. Safer Gambling Week is organised by the Betting and Gaming Council and is in its 7th year. It brings together many different areas…
Kim Woodburn on Big Brother, Reality TV, and No-Nonsense Attitude: An Exclusive Q&A
When it comes to reality TV, few people have made an impact quite like Kim Woodburn. From her unforgettable appearances on Big Brother to her time in the jungle on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here, Kim’s unapologetic, tell-it-like-it-is attitude has earned her a special place in the hearts of viewers. WhichBingo sat down with Kim for a tell all interview, to discuss her reality TV experiences, her career, and…
Reader comments